Canada’s pitiful poverty report card: News from the Conference Board of Canada

Yesterday, the Conference Board of Canada (CBoC) published its annual ranking on society which includes reporting on Canada’s record on poverty in comparison with sixteen other industrialized countries. The ranking is part of a CBoC benchmarking exercise entitled “How Canada Performs: A Report Card on Canada” exploring Canada’s record in the global context from a variety of areas.

In the category of social performance, Canada was given a grade of “B”, and ranked 9th out of 17 countries. This ranking is one place up from last year, an increase largely due to Canada’s good record with intergenerational income mobility. However, when examining other indicators more closely, there are significant declines within the standards of Canadian society, especially considering poverty.

According to this study, approximately 12% of Canada’s working-age population live in poverty. This result leaves Canada in 15th place with a grade of “D”, with only Japan and the US scoring lower. The numbers of working-age Canadians living in poverty have risen since the mid 1990s, when the figures were just over 9%.

Canada’s record on child poverty is not much better. According to this study, 1 in 7 children live in poverty, just over 14%. It is a statistic good enough (or rather bad enough) for 13th place and a grade of “C”. This is up from the child poverty rate of just under 13% in the mid 1990s.

Canada’s record with seniors living in poverty is seen as quite good in comparison, with a rate of 5.9%. Canada ranked 2nd out of 17 with a grade of “A”. Despite this apparent success, the report notes a significant increase in the number of Canadian seniors living in poverty from the mid 1990s to the mid 2000s. The rates doubled in just one decade, from 2.9% to 5.9%. This follows a period in which Canada did very well in decreasing seniors poverty, suggesting that we are now losing that accomplishment.

These numbers are staggering and unacceptable, especially considering the way in which many Canadians view their country in comparison with the rest of the world – as a kind, gentle nation with high standards of living, more than adequate social safety nets, and a long tradition of human rights and dignity. This is a definitely wake-up call to all Canadians and a call to action for policy makers, advocates, and concerned citizens.

But in the context of the recent recession, will such actions be delayed or dropped from the radar as the priorities for economic recovery are at the forefront of Canadian politics? Do strong poverty reduction programs go hand in hand with mediocre or weak economies? The CBoC does not seem to think so. Both Norway and Denmark, who ranked among the highest in social policies and poverty reduction, also ranked among the highest in terms of economic strength.

So, as we strive to fully come out of this recession, let’s not forget about the standards we as Canadians strive to live by as a country – compassionate, kind, a role model for other countries. Let’s fully invest in addressing poverty and raising our rank among our peers. Let’s stand up for the well-being and dignity of all Canadians.